If the crowd in our labs is any indication, Apple has a success on its hands with the new iMac. Even jaded veterans of the platform wars stopped by to admire the machine's innovative design, attractive hardware complement, and excellent software bundle.

The original CRT-based all-in-one iMac, released in multiple colors in 1998, single-handedly reversed the fortunes of a struggling company. The new iMac, with its sleek flat-panel display, may well go beyond that, winning new converts to the still-marginal Mac operating system. We wouldn't have believed it, but more than a few die-hard Windows PC users in our labs said they'd finally consider buying a Mac.

With clean white styling that's both retro and futuristic, the iMac is a truly elegant-looking machine. It also has one of the best ergonomic designs we've seen. The screen tilts forward, ahead of the base, letting you place your keyboard farther back. That means you can rest your forearms on your desk and still have the screen near enough that you don't need to squint. It's a comfortable way to work.

The solidly built stainless steel neck that holds the flat panel screen is a coup of iMac engineering. It's meant to be a handle, should you need to transport the machine from one room to another. We are impressed that it holds the screen at the same angle when you raise, lower, or swivel the panel (which you can do with the touch of a finger), so you don't need to readjust the viewing angle continually.

The 15-inch TFT active-matrix LCD is sharp and crisp. Though it seemed a hair too dark, even with brightness set all the way up, it gave one of the best images we've seen on a flat panel. The image was clear, with no color shift, even when we viewed it from an extreme side angle.

The bulk of the computer is housed in the iMac's dome-shaped base. It is 10.6 inches in diameter, and the whole computer weighs 21.3 pounds. Since it's an all-in-one computer, setup is simple: Remove it from the box, plug in the power, mouse, and keyboard cords, and turn it on.

The dome design is very efficient at funneling heat that's generated inside the case up and out of the small holes at the top of the base. This allowed Apple engineers to install a fan that is so whisper quiet, users probably won't hear it running and can work in blissful silence. One design touch we don't like: The power switch is also located along the back. It's an awkward position, requiring the user to lean forward and feel blindly for the button each time. A more useful spot would have been on the front of the base or on the screen.

Another drawback is the rinky-dink keyboard and mouse that most Apple computers have been saddled with for years. Though they're now white instead of black, they're still far too flimsy for a finely engineered computer. The keyboard feels insubstantial, as though it would fall apart after a bout of heavy typing. The mouse has an optical sensor but still has only one button. It's a shocking oversight, guaranteeing that most users will go out and buy a better mouse. Considering that Mac OS X supports right buttons and scroll wheels, it's a mystery to us why the company doesn't provide more advanced mice.

As with other all-in-one designs, upgrade possibilities are limited. Users can add RAM (for a total of up to 1GB) or an AirPort card for wireless networking. Of course, with built-in USB and high-speed IEEE 1394 (FireWire) ports, it doesn't require internal upgrades. Apple and third parties sell external hard drives, optical drives, and other peripherals. The major drawback: There's no way to upgrade to a more powerful graphics solution should you want one down the road.

If you do need to get inside the case, hold the machine upside down (a fairly awkward maneuver, since the screen doesn't detach), and remove four screws from the bottom of the base. Apple's attention to design details shows even here: The screws each have a retaining ring, so they won't leave the base when loosened, and small springs make them pop up. Remove this bottom lid and you'll find the AirPort and RAM slots.

The iMac's ports are located in a neat row on the rear of the base. It has a security lock slot, a headphone jack, speaker jack, two FireWire ports, an Ethernet port, phone port, three USB ports, and a VGA video port. The keyboard also has two USB ports. Since you need two USB ports to connect the keyboard (because the keyboard cable plugs into both the keyboard and the base), that leaves three open USB ports. It's not much, but it's one more than the old iMac and one more than even the new high-end G4 desktops.

The iMac comes in three configurations. The entry-level model ($1,299 direct) has a 700-MHz G4 processor, 128MB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive, and a 32X read/24X write/10X rewrite CD-RW drive. The mid-priced iMac ($1,499) steps up to 256MB of RAM and a DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive.

The top-of-the-line model we tested ($1,799) is the best value. It has an 800-MHz G4 processor, 256MB RAM, a 60GB hard drive, and a DVD-R drive, capable of reading and writing both CDs and DVDs. That price compares well with PCs in the Windows/Intel arena, where you pay about $2,000 for a machine with a DVD-R drive and 15-inch flat panel (though, admittedly, a faster processor).

All models have internal 56K modems, and the two higher-end configurations come with Apple Pro Speakers. These twin, clear, plastic spheres look great with the iMac and compensate for its small, tinny internal speaker. If sound quality is important to you, you won't want to hear your music on the iMac's internal speaker.

What makes the iMac attractiveeven more so than the stunning exterioris the excellent suite of digital-media tools Apple has developed over the past few years, and which come preloaded on all iMacs. There is iDVD (burning your finished movie to a DVD disc), iMovie (for editing video footage), iPhoto (for sorting and editing photos), and iTunes (for organizing and playing music).

Though these tools are not the most fully-featured on the market, they offer enough power for casual users and excel with Apple's famous intuitive designs that let you begin using them right away. You'll find you won't need to read a manual to get impressive results.
In addition, the iMac ships with other programs targeted at the home user, such as Apple Works 6, Otto Mattic (a loopy space game), PCalc 2 (a high-end calculator), and World Book. This is a great assortment, since it means first-time Mac users won't need to shell out a bundle on new software.

We'll be curious to see how many converts the flat-panel iMac makes (and how many people in our labs actually buy one). In any case, the new iMac is sure to have a strong influence on computer design throughout the industry. It's an exceptionally well-designed product at a reasonable price.

Apple iMac: Bold New Look, Software Bundle Woos Converts

Troy Dreier is a technology writer and editor based in Jersey City, NJ. He’s the editor of OnlineVideo.net, senior associate editor for StreamingMedia.com, and a former staff editor for PC Magazine. He’s @tdreier on Twitter.
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